The totally peerless and awesome baseball-reference.com has almost everything, but one thing it doesn't have is a list of league leaders in Relief Appearances for each season.
It seemed useful to include as well how many starts the league leader in appearances made, how many games he saved, and how many games were saved by whoever it was who led the league in saves. All of these figures change through the years. Today, the man who leads the league in appearances almost never starts a game, and as a rule he doesn't save very many games either.
Relief Lg LeadThere were a few years along the way when there were three more or less major leagues in operation - obviously wasn't enough horizontal room in the above chart to include them all. So here, for the sake of completeness, are the Player's League and Federal League numbers:
Year Player Team Apps GS SV SV
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1871 Wright, Harry BS1 9 0 3 3
1872 Fisher, Cherokee BL1 8 11 1 1
1873 Fisher, Cherokee PH1 8 5 1 2
1874 Fisher, Cherokee HR1 4 35 0
Stearns, Bill HR1 4 18 1
Wright, Harry BS1 4 2 3 3
1875 Manning, Jack BS1 10 17 7 8
1876 Manning, Jack BSN 14 20 5 5
1877 McVey, Cal CHN 7 10 2 2
1878 Golden, Mike ML2 4 18 0 1
1879 Ward, John PRO 10 60 1 1
1880 Bradley, George PRO 8 20 1 3
Corey, Fred WOR 8 9 2
Foley, Curry BSN 8 21 0
Richmond, Lee WOR 8 66 3 3
1881 Radbourn, Charley PRO 5 36 0 2 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
Relief Lg Lead
Player Team Apps GS SV SV
1882 Corey, Fred WOR 7 14 0 1 Myers, Henry BL2 4 2 0 1
1883 Ward, John NY1 9 25 0 2 Taylor, Billy PT1 10 9 0 1
1884 Morrill, John BSN 6 1 2 4 Reccius, Phil LS2 7 11 0 1
1885 Boyle, Henry SL5 3 39 0 3 Corkhill, Pop CN2 7 1 1 3
Ferguson, Charlie PHI 3 45 0
Pfeffer, Fred CHN 3 2 2
1886 Ryan, Jimmy CHN 5 0 1 2 Mullane, Tony CN2 7 56 0 1
1887 Cahill, John IN3 5 1 0 3 Corkhill, Pop CN2 5 0 0
Ryan, Jimmy CHN 5 3 0 Terry, Adonis BR3 5 35 3 3
Tiernan, Mike NY1 5
1888 Ryan, Jimmy CHN 6 2 0 2 Burns, Oyster BL2 5 0 0 1
Van Haltren, G CHN 6 24 1 Stratton, Scott LS2 5 28 0
1889 Rusie, Amos IN3 11 22 0 2 Mullane, Tony CN2 9 24 5 5
1890 Burkett, Jesse NY1 9 12 0 2 Easton, Jack CL6 8 29 1 4
Stivetts, Jack SL4 8 46 0
1891 Gleason, Kid PHI 9 44 1 3 Griffith, C SL-BOS 13 21 0 2
Young, Cy CL4 9 46 2
1892 Weyhing, Gus PHI 10 49 3 3
1893 Hemming,George LS3 9 32 1 2
Sullivan, Mike CIN 9 18 1
Taylor, Jack PHI 9 16 1
1894 Hawley, Pink SLN 12 41 0 4
Mercer, Win WSN 12 38 3
1895 Malarkey, John WSN 14 8 2 3
1896 Fisher, Chauncey CIN 12 15 2 3
1897 Ehret, Red CIN 15 19 2 3
1898 Dammann, Bill CIN 13 22 2 4
1899 Leever, Sam PIT 12 39 3 3
1900 Howell, Harry BRO 11 10 0 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Relief Lg Lead
Player Team Apps GS SV SV
1901 Sudhoff, Willie SLN 12 26 2 3 Garvin, Ned MLA 10 27 2 3
1902 Evans, Roy NY1 6 8 0 3 Shields, C BLA 8 19 1 2
Murphy, Ed SLN 6 17 1
Pittinger, Togie BSN 6 40 0
Vorhees, Cy PHI 6 5 0
Wicker, Bob SLN 6 16 0
1903 Cronin, Jack NY1 9 11 1 3 Howell, Harry NYA 10 15 0 2
1904 Fisher, Tom BSN 10 21 0 5 Walsh, Ed CHA 10 8 1 3
1905 Chech, Charlie CIN 14 25 0 6 Griffith, C NYA 18 7 1 2
1906 Ferguson, George NY1 21 1 7 7 Clarkson, W NYA 16 16 0 3
1907 Ames, Red NY1 13 26 1 4 Pruiett, Tex BOS 18 17 3 4
McGinnity, Joe NY1 13 34 4
Richie, Lew PHI 13 12 0
1908 Leever, Sam PIT 18 20 2 5 Vickers, Rube PHA 19 34 1 6
1909 Crandall, Doc NY1 23 7 6 7 Dygert, Jimmy PHA 19 13 0 8
1910 Crandall, Doc NY1 24 18 5 7 Hall, Charley BOS 19 16 2 5
1911 Brown, Mordecai CHN 26 27 13 13 Quinn, Jack NYA 24 16 2 4
Crandall, Doc NY1 26 15 5
1912 Crandall, Doc NY1 27 10 2 6 Walsh, Ed CHA 21 41 10 10
1913 Geyer, Rube SLN 26 4 1 11 Hall, Charley BOS 31 4 2 13
1914 Fromme, Art NY1 26 12 2 6 Baumgardner, G SLA 27 18 3 4
1915 Standridge, Pete CHN 26 3 0 9 Jones, Sam CLE 39 9 4 7
1916 Williams, S SLN 28 8 1 8 Boland, Bernie DET 37 9 3 8
1917 Prendergast, Mike CHN 27 8 1 4 Danforth, Dave CHA 41 9 9 9
1918 Sherdel, Bill SLN 19 16 0 3 Danforth, Dave CHA 28 11 2 7
1919 Dubuc, Jean NY1 31 5 3 4 Kerr, Dickie CHA 22 17 0 5
Kinney, Walt PHA 22 21 2
1920 Sherdel, Bill SLN 36 7 6 6 Burwell, Bill SLA 31 2 4 5
1921 North, Lou SLN 40 0 7 7 Bayne, Bill SLA 33 14 3 7
1922 North, Lou SLN 42 11 4 5 Pruett, Hub SLA 31 8 7 8
1923 Jonnard, Claude NY1 44 1 5 5 Russell, Allan WS1 47 5 9 9
1924 May, Jakie CIN 34 4 6 6 Russell, Allan WS1 37 0 8 15
1925 Ryan, Rosy BSN 30 7 2 4 Marberry, Firpo WS1 55 0 15 15
1926 Ehrhardt, Rube BRO 43 1 4 6 Marberry, Firpo WS1 59 5 22 22
1927 Ehrhardt, Rube BRO 43 3 2 6 Braxton, Garland WS1 56 2 13 13
1928 McGraw, Bob PHI 36 3 1 5 Marberry, Firpo WS1 37 11 3 8
Smith, George DET 37 2 3
1929 McGraw, Bob PHI 37 4 4 8 Moore, Wilcy NYA 41 0 8 11
1930 Heving, Joe NY1 39 2 6 8 Kimsey, Chad SLA 38 4 1 9
1931 Quinn, Jack BRO 38 1 15 15 Hadley, Bump WS1 44 11 8 10
1932 Quinn, Jack BRO 42 0 8 8 Marberry, Firpo WS1 39 15 13 13
1933 Liska, Ad PHI 44 1 1 6 Russell, Jack WS1 47 3 13 13
1934 Hansen, Snipe PHI 34 16 3 8 Russell, Jack WS1 45 9 7 7
Smith, Bob BSN 34 5 5
1935 Stout, Allyn NY1 38 2 5 8 Hogsett, Chief DET 40 0 5 7
1936 Coffman, Dick NY1 40 2 7 11 Van Atta, Russ SLA 43 9 2 9
1937 Brown, Mace PIT 48 2 7 7 Brown, Clint CHA 53 0 18 18
1938 Brown, Mace PIT 49 2 5 12 Humphries, John CLE 39 6 6 11
1939 Shoun, Clyde SLN 51 2 9 9 Brown, Clint CHA 61 0 18 19
1940 Brown, Jumbo NY1 41 0 7 7 Benton, Al DET 42 0 17 17
1941 Adams, Ace NY1 38 0 1 8 Brown, Clint CLE 41 0 5 15
1942 Adams, Ace NY1 61 0 11 13 Caster, George SLA 39 0 5 11
Haynes, Joe CHA 39 1 6
1943 Adams, Ace NY1 67 3 9 10 Brown, Mace BOS 49 0 9 14
1944 Adams, Ace NY1 61 4 13 13 Heving, Joe CLE 62 1 10 12
1945 Adams, Ace NY1 65 0 15 15 Berry, Joe PHA 52 0 5 10
Karl, Andy PHI 65 2 15
1946 Casey, Hugh BRO 45 1 5 6 Caldwell, Earl CHA 39 0 8 9
1947 Trinkle, Ken NY1 62 0 10 18 Klieman, Ed CLE 58 0 17 17
1948 Gumbert, Harry CIN 61 0 17 17 Page, Joe NYA 54 1 16 17
1949 Wilks, Ted SLN 59 0 9 9 Page, Joe NYA 60 0 27 27
1950 Konstanty, Jim PHI 74 0 22 22 Harris, Mickey WS1 53 0 15 15
1951 Konstanty, Jim PHI 57 1 9 13 Kinder, Ellis BOS 61 2 14 14
1952 Wilhelm, Hoyt NY1 71 0 11 16 Kennedy, Bill CHA 46 1 5 11
1953 Wilhelm, Hoyt NY1 68 0 15 18 Kinder, Ellis BOS 69 0 27 27
1954 Hughes, Jim BRO 60 0 24 24 Burtschy, Moe PHA 46 0 4 22
Kinder, Ellis BOS 46 2 15
1955 Wilhelm, Hoyt NY1 59 0 0 16 Narleski, Ray CLE 59 1 19 19
1956 Face, Roy PIT 65 3 6 19 Zuverink, George BAL 62 0 16 16
1957 Lown, Turk CHN 67 0 12 17 Zuverink, George BAL 56 0 9 19
1958 Elston, Don CHN 69 0 10 20 Hyde, Dick WS1 53 0 18 20
1959 Elston, Don CHN 65 0 13 15 Staley, Gerry CHA 67 0 14 15
Henry, Bill CHN 65 0 12
1960 Face, Roy PIT 68 0 24 26 Fornieles, Mike BOS 70 0 14 14
1961 Baldschun, Jack PHI 65 0 3 17 Arroyo, Luis NYA 65 0 29 29
1962 Perranoski, Ron LAN 70 0 20 28 Radatz, Dick BOS 62 0 24 24
1963 Perranoski, Ron LAN 69 0 21 22 Miller, Stu BAL 71 0 27 27
1964 Miller, Bob LAN 72 2 9 23 Wyatt, John KC1 81 0 20 29
Perranoski, Ron LAN 72 0 14
1965 Abernathy, Ted CHN 84 0 31 31 Fisher, Eddie CHA 82 0 24 29
1966 Mikkelsen, Pete PIT 71 0 14 21 Aker, Jack KC1 66 0 32 32
Cox, Casey WS2 66 0 7
1967 Abernathy, Ted CIN 70 0 28 28 Locker, Bob CHA 77 0 20 27
Perranoski, Ron LAN 70 0 16
1968 Abernathy, Ted CIN 78 0 13 25 Wood, Wilbur CHA 86 2 16 18
1969 Granger, Wayne CIN 90 0 27 29 Wood, Wilbur CHA 76 0 15 31
1970 Selma, Dick PHI 73 0 22 35 Wood, Wilbur CHA 77 0 21 34
1971 Granger, Wayne CIN 70 0 11 30 Sanders, Ken ML4 83 0 31 31
1972 Carroll, Clay CIN 65 0 37 37 Lindblad, Paul TEX 66 0 9 35
1973 Marshall, Mike MON 92 0 31 31 Hiller, John DET 65 0 38 38
1974 Marshall, Mike LAN 106 0 21 21 Fingers, Rollie OAK 76 0 18 24
1975 Garber, Gene PHI 71 0 14 22 Fingers, Rollie OAK 75 0 24 26
1976 Murray, Dale MON 81 0 13 26 Campbell, Bill MIN 78 0 20 23
1977 Fingers, Rollie SDN 78 0 35 35 Lyle, Sparky NYA 72 0 26 31
1978 Tekulve, Kent PIT 91 0 31 37 Lacey, Bob OAK 74 0 5 27
1979 Tekulve, Kent PIT 94 0 31 37 Marshall, Mike MIN 89 1 32 32
1980 Tidrow, Dick CHN 84 0 6 28 Quisenberry, Dan KCA 75 0 33 33
1981 Lucas, Gary SDN 57 0 13 25 Corbett, Doug MIN 54 0 17 28
1982 Tekulve, Kent PIT 85 0 20 36 Vande Berg, Ed SEA 78 0 5 35
1983 Campbell, Bill CHN 82 0 8 29 Quisenberry, Dan KCA 69 0 45 45
1984 Power, Ted CIN 78 0 11 45 Hernandez, W DET 80 0 32 44
1985 Burke, Tim MON 78 0 8 41 Quisenberry, Dan KCA 84 0 37 37
1986 Lefferts, Craig SDN 83 0 4 36 Williams, Mitch TEX 80 0 8 46
1987 Tekulve, Kent PHI 90 0 3 40 Eichhorn, Mark TOR 89 0 4 34
1988 Murphy, Rob CIN 76 0 3 39 Crim, Chuck ML4 70 0 9 45
1989 Williams, Mitch CHN 76 0 36 44 Crim, Chuck ML4 76 0 7 38
1990 Agosto, Juan HOU 82 0 4 33 Thigpen, Bobby CHA 77 0 57
1991 Jones, Barry MON 77 0 13 47 Ward, Duane TOR 81 0 23 46
1992 Boever, Joe HOU 81 0 2 43 Rogers, Kenny TEX 81 0 6 51
1993 Jackson, Mike SFN 81 0 1 53 Harris, Greg BOS 80 0 8 45
1994 Reed, Steve COL 61 0 3 30 Wickman, Bob NYA 53 0 6 33
1995 Leskanic, Curt COL 76 0 10 38 Orosco, Jesse BAL 65 0 3 46
1996 Clontz, Brad ATL 81 0 1 44 Guardado, Eddie MIN 83 0 4 43
1997 Tavarez, Julian SFN 89 0 0 42 Myers, Mike DET 88 0 2 45
1998 Beck, Rod CHN 81 0 51 53 Runyan, Sean DET 88 0 1 46
1999 Kline, Steve MON 82 0 0 41 Groom, Buddy OAK 76 0 0 45
Wells, Bob MIN 76 0 1
2000 Kline, Steve MON 83 0 14 45 Wunsch, Kelly CHA 83 0 1 42
2001 Kline, Steve SLN 89 0 9 45 Quantrill, Paul TOR 80 0 2 50
2002 Quantrill, Paul LAN 86 0 1 55 Koch, Billy OAK 84 0 44 45
2003 Quantrill, Paul LAN 89 0 1 55 Miller, Trever TOR 79 0 3 43
2004 Brower, Jim SFN 89 0 1 47 Quantrill, Paul NYA 86 0 1 53
2005 Eyre, Scott SFG 86 0 0 Timlin, Mike BOS 81 0 13 45
2006 Torres, Salomon PIT 94 0 12 46 Proctor, Scott NYY 83 0 1 47
2007 Rauch, John WSN 88 0 4 47 Downs, Scott TOR 81 0 1 45
Walker, Jamie BAL 81 0 7
PLAYER'S LEAGUE
1890 Daley, Bill BSP 9 25 2 3
FEDERAL LEAGUE
1914 Conley, Snipe BLF 24 11 1 6
1915 Bedient, Hugh BUF 23 30 10 10
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